Georgia
Note: Recipient-submitted material; content authored by recipient, not ELC
Information current as of October 6, 2021
To learn more about Georgia’s school testing plans, visit their websiteexternal icon or contact their school-based screening testing program.
Management structure for school screening
Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) has a school team that also provides COVID-19 guidance, but not directly funded by this portion of ELC.
Support provided to school districts
Georgia DPH already had an established School team to provide guidance on detection, prevention, and mitigation of COVID-19 in school-based settings. DPH’s website details the program, including providing recorded webinars and links to DPH administrative orders, isolation and quarantine guidance, and resources for schools and school districts.
Staff and health directors in the 18 health districts in Georgia routinely refer schools and school districts to the DPH school testing program director for follow-up, questions, guidance, and enrollment in the program. In consultations with the DPH school testing program, schools and school districts are informed how often testing should occur based on community transmission levels. DPH’s Epidemiology team has also modified the county indicator reports to include a community transmission tab with a color-coded community transmission indicator. Enrolled schools and districts are informed that the surveillance testing frequency for faculty, staff, students, and athletics should be based on this and on the CDC guidance for screening testing in K-12 schools.
It is important to note that the DPH ELC School Surveillance testing program is an opt-in program. Schools and districts must opt-in to the program, and faculty, staff, and parents of students must also then opt-in to the testing.